The Gifts of Summer
The neighborhood kids are all back to school and the mornings seem a bit darker. Even though I hate to admit it, summer is all but gone. My family is separated for the first time as
the young adults in the house are attending three different schools. Soon the garden
tomatoes and the summer beets from my mother-in-law’s garden will vanish for the year.
Before I had the chance to relish the gifts of summer, it ended. I always go into summer with high expectations, higher than could ever be met.
It seems like all my anticipated moments have passed. I had to miss several meaningful conferences that fill my bucket but was able to see my kids perform in Chicago and Baltimore. We said goodbye for now to Grandma Jean in Idaho and spent some family time in Oklahoma and Florida.
I remembered this as I scrolled through my
summer pictures on my cell phone. I begin to wonder if I’ve been using the talents and strengths God has given me to love people well and accomplish meaningful work.
Have you ever pondered the passing seasons?
For me, now is the perfect time to pause and enjoy what was. It’s also a time for me to plan what could be. There is plenty of space left in the year to make a meaningful impact.
As Summer sings her final farewell, I rest in the special moments she offered. Fueled with magical memories I think of ways to finish the year stronger than it began. This might be a good idea for all of us…to continue chasing joy while finding ourselves rooted in the gifts of summer.
